"Those who believe me guilty may come forward to die."
His voice was like a lingering echo.
In this noon, as dark as a prison, it seemed even the wind fell silent.
A vast, boundless shadow spread out quietly, silently shrouding the entire town.
The brilliant flowers were dimming.
The vibrant colors were withering.
The knight in black stood in the center of the square, like a deep black hole, madly eroding the sanity of everyone present, madly absorbing the gaze of everyone present.
However...
Until his voice faded and the sunlight dimmed, this land remained silent and still.
And still...
No one dared to answer.
No one dared to meet the challenge.
"No one...?"
The silver-haired youth's light voice sounded.
His lost, melancholic voice sounded.
In this silence, it drifted far.
"Is no one going to kill me?"
Although it was expected, this result still made Su Shu feel disappointed.
Even... sad, sorrowful.
Knights? Knights—
"Heh..."
He couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahahaha—"
He almost laughed until tears came out.
Artoria, you see it now, don't you?
The knights you admire and aspire to be.
What kind of things they really are...
Laughing and laughing, he seemed to feel a rich bitterness.
Are you afraid?
Are you wavering?
Then let me give you some reasons to persevere.
"I, Alvin Pendragon, son of the Vile King Vortigern..."
Su Shu began to speak softly, word by word.
His voice was almost too light, as if he were worried.
Worried that he would scare these people away.
The sword hilt fell from his palm, plunging straight into the ground. The silver-haired youth opened his arms, as if embracing the world.
"Right now, right here, I stand before you.
"I have brought no army, nor have I called for any outside help."
"My respected father, Vortigern Pendragon, watches me from afar. At this very moment, he stands at the top of Londinium, waiting for my triumphant return.
"Within ten minutes...
"The infamous demonic dragon you fear will not be able to make it."
His words were like the morning bell and the evening drum, causing ripples to spread in people's hearts.
"So..."
Su Shu's eyelids lowered, his light voice suddenly becoming deep, echoing profoundly in the heart of every knight present.
"—This is your only, and your last, chance."
"You revere fairness.
"Then I shall give you fairness.
"For your laughable knightly code, I believe I have been very fair.
"Slay me, or even just wound me, and every knight here will have their illustrious name resound throughout this island!
"This is the good fight you hope for, this is the path you wish to walk, this is the code you ought to keep.
"Kill me, and a crown of justice will be waiting for you.
"So...
"—Come! Come on!"
The knight in black suddenly roared.
"You bunch of trash, garbage, scum!
"—Use all your means! All your spirit! All your sacrifice, your mercy, your righteousness, to draw your swords and strike me! Kill me!
"To such a knight! I will give my greatest respect!"
Even so, Su Shu's roar gradually faded.
Finally, it became a sad, laughable sentence.
"Artoria is watching right here."
Su Shu's voice, like a flickering firework, gradually died out.
"Are you going to let her down..."
That last sentence finally stirred the dim sunlight.
In this deathly silence, a low voice from a golden-haired youth slowly sounded on the field.
"Don't be so arrogant, son of the Vile King Vortigern...
"How can we, the Knights of the Round Table, allow you to be so presumptuous here!"
The Revolving Sword of Victory bloomed with a brilliant radiance.
That dazzling light instantly dispelled the wandering shadows around Gawain.
"Gawain..."
Artoria, stunned, raised her hand, wanting to stop the Sun Knight.
"You need not say more, Lady Artoria. This is a disgrace that can only be settled by death."
There was no more resentment, no more contempt.
Thus, the brewing, condensed sunlight became even more scorching.
Gawain's expression at this moment was incredibly solemn, incredibly grave.
His comrades of the Round Table could not be that person's enemy, and Lady Artoria would avoid taking action herself.
He knew he had to stand up now, and it could only be him!
Today's sword-pulling was meant to be Lady Artoria's coronation ceremony, yet this man had stolen all her glory.
He had sworn to be her lifelong guardian knight, yet he had seen Lady Artoria slumped on her horse, sobbing uncontrollably. This was a scene Gawain would never forget.
At that moment, he thought, if there was anything that could stop Artoria's heartache, he would give his all for it.
Now the enemy was right before him, his arrogance inflaming the heavens. Gawain had to consider that this might be the only chance in his life.
To restore the glory of the Round Table, it is our undeniable duty!
Revolving Sword of Victory! Bloom—
A dazzling light burst forth.
Holding the brilliant holy sword amidst the expectations of the crowd, Gawain slowly walked forward and stood before Su Shu.
Merely defeating the opponent, or even killing him, Gawain knew, was far from enough.
Since you have attacked the hearts of all knights, then I shall, in turn, attack your heart!
You are indeed eloquent, your reasoning is sound, but you have no standing to say these things!
Even if they should be said, it is not your place to say them!
Your identity is your greatest flaw!
"You are right, Alvin Pendragon..."
The golden-haired youth's voice was deep and solemn.
"I admit your words are sharp and have pierced the hearts of us knights.
"But... so what?"
Gawain said calmly.
"To be born human, I am sorry. But since we are human, who has not had dark and sordid emotions?
"Wanting to escape one's responsibilities, wanting someone to lead the way, wanting to bear less pressure—yes, for the spirit of chivalry, these are indeed shameful thoughts...
"—However, if one is wrong, one must admit it. If one knows one's mistake, one must repent! Even if you are an enemy, if what you say is correct, I will acknowledge your reasoning! This too is the justice a knight should uphold!"
"Without the proof of a sword, anyone can strive to become the King of Knights. You have enlightened me, Alvin... from now on, I will no longer fear the shadow of the demonic dragon.
"However..."
Gawain narrowed his eyes and said sharply.
"As a child of a demonic dragon yourself, what standing do you have to rebuke us?
"Are you a knight? You are not!
"On the contrary, you are even the enemy of all of us knights!
"We can humbly accept criticism from an enemy, but we need not take it to heart! Because you are merely trying to destroy our morale!
"Today, you stand here and insult Britain as if it were unmanned.
"There is no need for Lady Artoria to act...
"—I, the Sun Knight, Gawain! Hereby challenge you to a duel on behalf of the Round Table!"
He suddenly roared.
"First, I will cut you down! Then I will go and vanquish that infamous father of yours!"
These powerful, resonant words were like a dazzling sun, instantly dispelling the accumulated shadows in the hearts of the knights, brought on by that person.
...That's right.
Gawain was right!
To be born human, who hasn't had selfish thoughts?
To be afraid, to shrink back, to be scared...
—Does that deserve condemnation?
You, Alvin, as the son of the Vile King Vortigern, have you never been afraid, never run away?
Originally, before you revealed your identity, what you said sounded quite reasonable, making people feel ashamed.
But you are such an infamous, sin-ridden person, what standing do you have to criticize us?!
It's like a boss telling his workers they're not working hard enough, or humans complaining that cattle aren't diligent enough. It's just laughable!
You say I am ugly.
Whether we repent or not is a matter for later, but isn't the simplest and most direct solution to get rid of you first?!
"Kill him..."
A hateful, self-muttering whisper came from the mouth of a certain knight.
Then, like a virus, it spread—
In an instant, it ignited into a towering flame of indignation.
The knights began to roar one after another, and one after another, their sharp swords were drawn, their cold light flashing, letting out a series of clanging sounds.
With a backbone, they seemed to have gained courage!
"Kill him! Gawain! Kill this infamous villain!"
"As the son of the Vile King Vortiggen, how dare you show your face in front of us! I bet you tampered with this Sword of Selection!"
"What f***ing right do you have to criticize us?!
"At least as knights, we've done good deeds! It's only human nature to cherish one's life. What about you? A villain like you! You're all talk!"
"Get lost! Stop your madness here!"
"Kill him..."
"Kill him—"
"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!!"
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